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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22964617">Softness Rarely Seen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/220221/pseuds/220221'>220221</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>House M.D.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>8.11 Nobody's Fault, Established Relationship, Happy, M/M, Sorta Fluffy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:20:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22964617</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/220221/pseuds/220221</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>House visiting Chase after Chase got stabbed in the heart with the scalpel and was then temporarily paralyzed in 8.11 “Nobody’s Fault.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robert Chase/Greg House</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Softness Rarely Seen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I recently watched the episode 8.11 “Nobody’s Fault” and got like all the feels. So, since I ship House/Chase I ended up writing a fic about it. I rarely write fanfiction and I even more rarely post it, but I couldn’t help myself this time, it was like the story wrote itself. In this story, this scene would replace the last scene of the episode where House talks to Chase while Chase is working on his physical therapy. </p>
<p>Umm… so just a few quick notes, in my world of House/Chase, most of the cases follow canon, but the character’s storylines don’t. So, in this “reality” the main differences are: <br/>Cuddy is still Dean of Medicine;<br/>House is Head of Diagnostics, but he and Cuddy never dated, and he never went to prison; <br/>Chase never married Cameron;<br/>Like I said, this story replaces the last scene of the episode;<br/>House knew when Chase had regained feeling in his legs (so before he walked into his final interview with Cofield); <br/>Also, the prank war was milder: the orange dye was not permanent (and put in Chase’s shampoo at home) and House is no longer reliant on Vicodin, so the pill bottle that had the confetti in it was for a decongestant since in this “reality” House recently had a sinus infection.</p>
<p>Anyway, I have a couple more changes I have made in this “reality,” but there are not relevant to this story. However, I do have a few more ideas for quick fics about House/Chase, so if I end up writing them, I will always try to clarify differences between the story and canon.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>House looked through the glass to where Chase was lying in the hospital bed. As much as he wanted to go in, he could admit, if only to himself, that he was scared. He was scared that Chase would blame him. He was scared that Chase might have finally had enough and leave the team. But most of all he was scared that Chase wouldn’t want him anymore and that he was going to lose his lover.  </p>
<p>Even though he was scared, House walked toward the room because as terrified as he was, it was worse not being close to his boyfriend. He lightly smirked at that. <em>Boyfriend</em>. It sounded like he was a middle school girl. He was too old for a boyfriend. But that’s what he had. A boyfriend. That was too young and too good for him. He still didn’t know why Chase was stupid enough to have pursued him, but he was lucky like that. His boy hadn’t given up on him, even through the worst of it. </p>
<p>House could, again, admit to himself only, that he’d always been somewhat in love with the Australian. Looking back now, that curiosity that made him hire the Australian, was the beginning of House’s heart warming up to the boy. And although House had always admired Chase’s looks, it was his personality that eventually broke through House’s walls. But once House had realized he was in love with Chase, he had never planned on tell him. He was too afraid that if he opened up, Chase would leave the team, and having some of Chase was better that having none of Chase. But fortunately for him, Chase had figured it out and pushed him to do something about it. And although he always grumbled to the boy to keep up appearances, House was the happiest he’d ever been with Chase. And one day, he wanted more, he could, again, admit that to himself… and maybe eventually Wilson. House just hoped that he would still get that chance one day. </p>
<p>He walked into Chase’s room and pulled a chair closer to the side of the bed. It was silent in the room except for the always present quite hum of medical machinery. </p>
<p>Chase was asleep. He looked so peaceful. House thought he even looked angelic. Which was fitting since Chase was House’s saving grace. He gently picked up Chase’s hand and cupped it in both his.</p>
<p>House was exhausted. The last few days had been horrible, first Chase getting stabbed, and then Cuddy taking the case away, the hearing, and Chase’s paralysis. And with the case gone (but solved) and the hearing over, House no longer had any distractions. </p>
<p>He’d been so close to losing Chase, so close to losing the best reason he had to live and be happy. Devastated thinking about what’d almost lost, House hunched over and rested his forehead on the back of Chase’s hand as he also continued to hold it in his. </p>
<p>“I am so sorry. Robbie. <em>God</em>. Robbie, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault,” he quietly lamented. </p>
<p>“Like hell it is,” a voice creaked out. </p>
<p>House snapped his head up and stared into Chase’s blue-green bleary eyes. He looked like how House felt. </p>
<p>“What?” House finally managed to stammer out. </p>
<p>Chase cleared his throat, “I said, ‘like hell it is,’” and then he managed to offer up a small smile. 	</p>
<p>Seeing Chase awake and smiling caused the corner of House’s lips to tilt up slightly. “I meant–”</p>
<p>“I know what you meant Greg and I meant what I said. This is not your fault. I knew psychosis was one of the three possibilities. I should have been more careful. This is not on you.”</p>
<p>“But Cofield is right. I foster an environment of competition and recklessness and I–”</p>
<p>“Shut up! You do what’s best to get the results that are best for the patient. Which whether you like it or not means that you care about our patient, at least a little bit. I didn’t walk into that room because of a competition. I didn’t walk in there because of our prank war. I walked in there for the patient. I walked in that room myself doing what I thought was best. <em>This is not your fault</em>.”</p>
<p>“But–”</p>
<p>“Greg, I swear to God, shut the fuck up. Whatever argument you come up with to try and be self-deprecating, I will fight you and prove you wrong. So, we can either waste time with pointless arguing or you can come up here and kiss me,” Chase finished emphatically leaving no room for arguments.</p>
<p>House rolled his eyes and grumbled, releasing Chase’s hand as he got to his feet. “Pointless arguing is one of our best forms of foreplay.” He rested his hip on the edge of the bed and leaned closer to Chase’s head. </p>
<p>Chase smiled at that. “You’re not wrong, but I’m currently in no condition to do anything about it.” </p>
<p>House smirked, “I don’t know about that. You’ve still got the use of your hands.” Chase huffed out a little laugh at that as House leaned in a little further and rested his forehead against Chase’s. </p>
<p>They held the space between them for a few moments. Just breathing and taking each other in. Chase finally grew impatient and tilted his head to fit his lips against House’s. Their kiss was chaste at first and then Chase nipped House’s bottom lip and the kiss quickly escalated. House giving as good as he got and thrusting his passionately tongue into Chase’s mouth. However, due to Chase’s injuries, they had to separate sooner then normal. </p>
<p>Chase took a few gulps of air. House looked remorseful and opened his mouth to apologize, so Chase stopped him. He cupped House’s cheek with his palm, stoking his thumb back and forth on his cheekbone. “I love you. <em>So much</em>.”</p>
<p>House smiled at that. “I love you too.” </p>
<p>They continued to gaze into each other’s eyes and got lost in the moment. House saw that Chase was quickly getting tried, so he leaned back in and lightly pecked Chase’s lips before straightening up. “Well it’s getting late and you need all the rest you can get, especially with all the physical therapy you have ahead of you. I probably shouldn’t’ve woken you up in the first place.”</p>
<p>Sluggishly Chase grabbed at House’s hand and threaded their fingers together. “Well I’m glad you came by. I wanted to see you.” Chase brought their intertwined hands up and kissed the back of House’s hand. When he pulled their hands away from his lips, Chase offered up a boyish grin while slurring, “Also, when I finally get out of here, I except you to help me with some <em>special</em> physical therapy at home.” </p>
<p>House gave a full smile at that. “I think that can be arranged.” </p>
<p>House went to grab his cane and start out the door, but Chase refused to let go of his hand. House turned back around wondering what was going on. Chase was lazily blinking often, but more importantly he had tilted his head up in waiting. So, House leaned back in and gave his boy the goodbye kiss he wanted. </p>
<p>“That better?” House questioned. </p>
<p>A quite <em>yeah</em> and then <em>love ya’</em> slipped out of Chase’s lips as he drifted back to sleep and his grip on House’s hand loosened.</p>
<p> “Love you too. Sleep well, my little Wombat,” House quietly whispered. And because he couldn’t help himself, House carefully leaned in and gently kissed Chase’s forehead before he finally grabbed his cane and limped out of the room. </p>
<p>But before he turned the corner to head to the elevators, House looked back at his sleeping boyfriend. House might not show it, but Chase was his weakness and House couldn’t imagine his life without Chase. Chase made House softer, kinder, and just all around better. So, now relieved that Chase didn’t hate him and wasn’t going to end their relationship, he was less tense. Yes, the road ahead of them wasn’t going to be easy, but it would be made easier with them by each other’s sides. With his one quick glance, House thought <em>I can’t wait to get him home</em> before continuing to the elevators.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, if you’ve made it this far, THANK YOU! <br/>I had a surprisingly fun and relaxing time writing this and like I mentioned above, I do have a few more story ideas, so if I find time to write them (and anyone is interested), this might turn into a small series. </p>
<p>But once again, thank you!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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